Stairlift Company Gone Bust? Who Services Your Lift Now

Key facts

• Two of the ten brands in our companies table, MediTek and Companion, now have a dissolved company behind them. In both cases the brand name carries on under different ownership.
• Meditek Limited went into administration on 12 March 2018, moved to liquidation in March 2019 and was dissolved on 18 December 2025.
• Companion Stairlifts Limited was dissolved on 6 January 2026 at the company’s own request. Companion’s website says the brand is part of the Handicare group.
• The company behind Handicare stairlifts in the UK, Handicare Accessibility Limited, was renamed Savaria Lifts (UK) Ltd. on 19 January 2026. The company number did not change.
• Stannah sells a basic service contract for all makes and models from £196 a year, TK Home Solutions says its engineers can work on most brands, and Halton offers emergency repair visits on lifts it did not sell.
• Handicare is the exception: its guarantee page says only dealers it has certified should work on its stairlifts, using original approved parts.

This page is for families whose stairlift was sold or fitted by a company that has closed, changed hands or stopped answering the phone, and for anyone whose warranty has ended and who wants to know whether they have to stay with the original maker. The question comes up often. In a recent thread on the Carers UK forum, a carer with two Stannah straight stairlifts, a little over two years old and just out of warranty, asked where to find an independent engineer, having found the maker’s extended cover more than they wanted to pay. For routine servicing and what a service involves, see our stairlift servicing guide.

First, check whether the company really has closed

A company that does not return calls has not necessarily gone bust, and a brand that has been sold can still be trading under a new owner. Check before you assume either way.

Find the company name and number on your contract, invoice or warranty certificate. The name on the lift itself is the maker’s brand, and it is often not the company you paid. Then search that name or number on the Companies House register, which is free. The status line will say Active, In administration, Liquidation or Dissolved. If the business was a sole trader or a partnership, not a limited company, Citizens Advice points to the Insolvency Register instead, and notes that new entries can take a few weeks to appear.

A dissolved status does not always mean the brand has gone. Companies are sometimes closed after their business has moved into another company in the same group, as happened with Companion. If an administrator or liquidator has been appointed, their name is shown on the register, and they are the people to contact about money you are owed.

Register status of every company in our table

We looked up the registered company behind each of the ten brands in our side-by-side company comparison on 8 October 2026. Where a brand is sold through dealers, the company you bought from may be a different one, so check your own paperwork too.

An active status shows the company is on the register and has not been closed. It is not a review of the company’s service or its finances.

The MediTek trail

MediTek stairlifts were made in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, and many MediTek straight lifts are still in use. The company register tells the story through three companies.

Meditek Limited (03039760) was incorporated on 30 March 1995. An administrator was appointed on 12 March 2018, the case moved to a creditors’ voluntary liquidation in March 2019, and the company was dissolved on 18 December 2025.

On 5 March 2018 a new company, MediTek Stairlifts Limited (11232675), was incorporated at Unit 53 Consett Business Park, County Durham, the registered address of Otolift Stairlifts Limited (07867994). It changed its name to Otolift Manufacturing Limited in 2019 and is active.

A third company, Meditek Holdings Limited (09364408), was called MediTek Stairlifts Limited from December 2014 to June 2015. It was dissolved on 25 July 2023.

For a MediTek owner this means there is no original manufacturer to call. Independent engineers and dealers service MediTek lifts, and our Dolphin Stairlifts page notes that Dolphin branches list MediTek among the brands they supply. Ask any engineer whether they can get parts for your model before they visit, and ask Otolift’s UK business about parts if they cannot. More background is on our MediTek page.

Companion: the brand trades, the company was struck off

Companion Stairlifts Limited (04728243) applied to be struck off the register on 14 July 2025 and was dissolved on 6 January 2026. A voluntary strike-off is the route directors use to close a company. It is not an administration or a liquidation. Since May 2024 the person with significant control of that company had been Handicare Accessibility Limited, the company now called Savaria Lifts (UK) Ltd.

The Companion brand still trades from Guiseley, Leeds, its website says it is part of the Handicare group, and it still offers warranty and service plans. If you have a Companion warranty or service plan, ask Companion in writing which company your agreement is now with, and keep the reply with your paperwork. Our Companion page has more detail.

What happens to your warranty or service plan

A warranty or service plan is a promise from a company. If that company has been dissolved or is in liquidation, there is usually no one left to keep the promise. Citizens Advice sets out what you can still try.

If an administrator or liquidator has been appointed, register a claim with them as a creditor for any service plan you paid for in advance and did not receive. Citizens Advice warns that banks and other creditors are paid first, so you may get little or nothing back. You can also ask the administrator about repairs, though Citizens Advice says the chance of help is small.

If you paid more than £100 by credit card, you may be able to make a Section 75 claim against the card provider. If you paid by debit card, ask your bank about chargeback. Citizens Advice notes that many bank staff do not know the chargeback scheme, so you may need to ask for a manager.

If another company bought the business, tell the new owners what you paid for and ask whether they will honour it. They may not be obliged to, but some do. And check your paperwork for an insurance-backed guarantee, which is held by an insurer and can outlive the installer.

If the stairlift was paid for with a Disabled Facilities Grant, contact the council or home improvement agency that arranged it. Some councils include an extended warranty and servicing in the grant. For how warranties and aftercare normally work, see our stairlift warranty and aftercare guide.

Who can service your stairlift now

Stairlifts are not tied to the company that fitted them. Once the warranty has ended, any competent engineer who can get parts for your model can service and repair it. These are the routes open to you.

Some national companies work on other makes. Stannah publishes a basic service contract for all makes and models from £196 a year, with call-outs charged separately. TK Home Solutions says its engineers can work on most types and brands of stairlift. Halton Stairlifts says it offers servicing and repairs for all stairlift types and will arrange an emergency repair visit on a lift not bought from it, at its standard call-out charge. All three were read on 8 October 2026.

Local independent engineers are the other main route, and many small firms service several brands. The British Healthcare Trades Association member directory can be searched by region, and members agree to the association’s code of practice. A recommendation from your council’s occupational therapy team or a local carers’ group is also worth asking for.

Where the maker still exists, its own dealer network is a third option, and for one brand it is the expected one. Handicare’s guarantee page says work on its stairlifts may only be done by dealers it has certified, using original spare parts it has approved, and that reinstalling a used Handicare lift without them ends its warranty and CE marking. If you own a Handicare-built lift, including those sold by Age UK and Companion, a certified dealer is the safer choice.

Whoever you call, have the make, model and serial number ready from the plate on the lift, along with any fault code on the display. Our stairlift fault codes guide lists what the common codes mean, and stairlift not working covers the checks to make before paying for a call-out. Ask for the call-out charge, the labour rate and whether parts are new or reconditioned before anyone visits. Dolphin warns on its own price page that some companies may not attend breakdowns if you do not have a maintenance contract, so ask that question first.

If you are weighing up a plan from a new company, our guide to stairlift service plan costs compares the prices companies publish.

Repair or replace?

If parts for an older lift are hard to find, or the repair quote is close to the price of a replacement, compare it with a reconditioned or new lift before you pay. Published prices for reconditioned lifts start at about £900 at Dolphin and £1,000 at Halton, according to the company pages we checked in September and October 2026, and our buy, rent or reconditioned guide sets out the trade-offs. You can compare quotes from UK suppliers here. It is free and there is no obligation.

If the old lift is being replaced, our guide to selling a stairlift explains removal and what a used lift may be worth.

Frequently asked questions

Who services my stairlift if the company that fitted it has gone bust?

Any competent stairlift engineer can service a lift once its warranty has ended, so you are not tied to the company that fitted it. Some national companies say so on their own websites: Stannah sells a basic service contract for all makes and models from £196 a year, TK Home Solutions says its engineers can work on most types and brands, and Halton Stairlifts offers emergency repair visits on lifts not bought from it. Local independent engineers do the same. Before booking, give them the make, model and serial number from the lift and ask whether they can get parts for it.

Is my stairlift warranty still valid if the company has closed?

A warranty is a promise from a company, so if that company has been dissolved or is in liquidation there is usually nobody left to honour it. Citizens Advice says you can ask the administrator about repairs, register a claim as a creditor, and, if you paid more than £100 by credit card, try a Section 75 claim with the card provider. If the business was bought by another company, explain the situation to the new owners. Check your paperwork for an insurance-backed guarantee, which is held by an insurer, not the installer.

Can an independent engineer service a Stannah or other branded stairlift?

Yes, once the maker’s warranty has ended. While a warranty or service contract is running, read its terms first, because work by another engineer can affect it. Handicare is stricter than most: its guarantee page says work on its stairlifts may only be done by dealers it has certified, using original approved parts. Whoever you use, ask how they will source parts for your model before they visit.

Who services MediTek stairlifts now?

Meditek Limited, the company registered in 1995, went into administration in March 2018 and was dissolved in December 2025, so it cannot service lifts. A new company named MediTek Stairlifts Limited was registered on 5 March 2018 at the Consett address used by Otolift Stairlifts Limited, and it was renamed Otolift Manufacturing Limited in 2019. Independent stairlift engineers and dealers service MediTek lifts, and Otolift’s UK business is the place to ask about parts.

How can I check whether a stairlift company is still trading?

Search the company name on the Companies House register, which is free. The status line says Active, In administration, Liquidation or Dissolved. Use the exact company name and number from your contract or invoice, because the brand on the lift and the company that sold it are not always the same. For example, the company named on Companion’s website, Companion Stairlifts Limited, was dissolved on 6 January 2026 after a voluntary strike-off, while the brand itself still trades as part of the Handicare group.

Sources

• Companies House register entries for Meditek Limited (03039760), MediTek Stairlifts Limited, now Otolift Manufacturing Limited (11232675), Otolift Stairlifts Limited (07867994), Meditek Holdings Limited (09364408), Companion Stairlifts Limited (04728243), Savaria Lifts (UK) Ltd. (04109393), Acorn Mobility Services Ltd. (02593771), Age UK Trading CIC (01102972), Brooks Stairlifts Limited (01042173), Dolphin Mobility Hoists Ltd (03747767), Halton Stairlifts Limited (08130657), Stannah Stairlifts Limited (01401451) and TK Elevator UK Limited (00688790), https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/, read 8 October 2026. Status, incorporation and dissolution dates, previous names, filing history and persons with significant control.
• If a company stops trading or goes out of business, Citizens Advice, https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/if-a-company-stops-trading-or-goes-out-of-business/, read 8 October 2026. Checking Companies House and the Insolvency Register, registering as a creditor, Section 75 over £100, chargeback, asking administrators or new owners.
• Stairlift repairs and servicing advice, Carers UK forum, https://forum.carersuk.org/t/stairlift-repairs-servicing-advice/62854, read 8 October 2026.
• Service contracts, Stannah, https://www.stannah.com/servicing-aftercare/service-contracts, read 8 October 2026. “3-star basic service cover for all makes and models from £196 per year”.
• Service, TK Home Solutions, https://www.tke-homesolutions.co.uk/service/, read 8 October 2026. Engineers “can work on most types and brands of stairlifts”.
• Stairlift repairs and servicing, Halton Stairlifts, https://www.haltonstairlifts.co.uk/stairlift-repairs-servicing/, read 8 October 2026. Servicing and repairs for all stairlift types, emergency visits on lifts not bought from Halton.
• Stairlift guarantee and maintenance, Handicare, https://www.handicare-stairlifts.co.uk/services/stairlift-guarantee-maintenance/, read 8 October 2026. Work only by Handicare-certified dealers with approved original parts.
• Stairlift prices, Dolphin Mobility, https://dolphinlifts.co.uk/stairlifts/stairlift-prices/, read 8 October 2026. Warning that some companies may not attend breakdowns without a maintenance contract.
• Companion Stairlifts home page and FAQ, https://www.companionstairlifts.co.uk/, read 8 October 2026. “Companion is part of the Handicare group”, Guiseley trading address.
• MediTek Stairlifts at Aycliffe, Newton News, https://newtonnews.co.uk/meditek-stairlifts-at-aycliffe-keep-moving-up. MediTek’s manufacturing base in Newton Aycliffe.
• Find a member, British Healthcare Trades Association, https://www.bhta.com/new-member-listing/, read 8 October 2026. Directory searchable by region, sector and company name.

How we are funded

We do not sell, install, service or repair stairlifts. Quotes go to UK suppliers. If you buy a stairlift from a supplier we introduced you to, that supplier pays us a fee. Requesting quotes is free and we are not paid for the request itself. Stairlift Guru is independent and not owned by or affiliated with any stairlift manufacturer. It is published by Whito Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales (number 10918465).

How to cite this page

Stairlift Guru, “Stairlift Company Gone Bust? Who Services Your Lift Now”, stairliftguru.co.uk, reviewed October 2026.

Last reviewed: 8 October 2026. Editor: Jacob Whitmore.